MANSFIELD — James Warren began his senior season for Mansfield by kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired.
He topped that moment in his final high school game on Thanksgiving.
Warren was a difference-maker for the Hornets in the 94th installment of the rivalry matchup with Foxboro by drilling two field goals, including a program record 49-yarder in the fourth quarter, as Mansfield upended the Warriors, 13-10, at Alumni Field.
“I like this so much better,” said Warren as he also set the school record for career field goals with a 28-yarder in the first quarter. “I know it was farther, but beating Foxboro is always special.”
Warren’s boot not only helped Mansfield (7-4) take a 55-36-3 lead in the overall series with Foxboro (9-3), which played its starters despite next week’s Division 5 Super Bowl appearance looming, but also gave the Hornets, who were ravaged by injuries this season, a share of the Hockomock League Davenport Division title.
“I think we really needed this as a program,” Mansfield head coach Mike Redding said. “Just disheartening to see so many good players miss so many games, and to finish like this, really, I think saved the season.”
Foxboro broke a 3-3 deadlock less than two minutes into the third quarter as Cam DeLeskey picked off a pass on the first play of the second half, and then four plays later, the senior quarterback ran into the end zone from three yards out.
Mansfield answered right back, though, with an eight-play, 80-yard scoring drive capped by Tommy Vallett (16-for-26, 176 yards) connecting with Andrew DeGirolamo for a 5-yard touchdown to level the score.
Mansfield’s defense, which forced three turnovers, kept Foxboro’s offense at bay while Warren’s clutch kick with 9:48 left put the Hornets in front.
Following a three-and-out forced by the Hornets’ defense, Mansfield got the ball back with 6:15 left and never gave it back to Foxboro. Senior running back Mason Bordieri, who had 22 carries for 80 yards and seven catches for 83 yards, was the main reason for that as he took seven straight hands off, which included a fourth-down conversion, before a fourth-down sneak from Vallett sealed another Thanksgiving win for the Hornets.
“That’s all you work for,” Bordieri said. “We struggled to move the chains consistently all game. … And then that last five-and-a-half minutes, it was just you got one more shot at this team to put them away and we did.”
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